Online degrees are becoming an increasingly popular option as spiralling costs force students to look for alternative study modes. Due to increased flexibility, you do not even need to attend a traditional “bricks-and-mortar” university to graduate. Some universities combine online courses with the option of attending tutorials and lectures at an accredited university, while some courses are conducted solely online (including the tutorials and lectures). While this is invariably much more convenient than traditional notions of university, many people are sceptical as to whether online degrees can be considered credible.
Much of this scepticism comes from the “scam” degrees that are currently in operation. These implore you to part with your cash in return for a certificate. In many cases, you do not have to do any work to receive this certificate. Thankfully, there are many legitimate online degrees that are more credible, and offer genuine degrees. Like traditional universities, these require you to complete several years of work before you are awarded your degree. Some may have an exam as part of the examination criteria, but this is not always the case. You will usually be allocated a tutor, who will often be responsible for helping students, and will sometimes be the person who marks your assignments. Online degrees will almost always require you to pay up-front, unless financial assistance is available. This will buy you course materials and study support, and will tend to be a lot cheaper than the tuition fees on most traditional university fees. Unlike the "scam" degrees, you will not receive your degree unless you pass the course.
Not all online degrees are recognised by employers. This is one major drawback, as it can harm your chances of landing a job once you have graduated. However, this is not such a big problem if you enroll on a course that is associated with one of the recognised "bricks-and-mortar" universities.